Comprehensive Safety Strategy Reduces Violence, Improves Neighborhood Safety in 2022
Mayor Andrew J. Ginther today joined leadership from the
city’s public safety forces to share 2022 crime data, which shows a 33% drop in
homicides over 2021 as well as significant reductions in burglaries, felonious
assaults, robberies and rapes.
“This progress speaks to the effectiveness of our updated
Comprehensive Neighborhood Safety Strategy,” said Mayor Ginther. “By leveraging
a broad range of prevention, intervention and enforcement tactics to reduce
violence and address its root causes, we are making great strides toward improving
neighborhood safety while strengthening trust and collaboration between our
officers and the public.”
Columbus saw the biggest percentage drop in homicides among
the 20 largest U.S. cities, in addition to Cincinnati and Cleveland. The
national average for murders in big cities was a 5% reduction.
In addition to a dramatically reduced homicide rate in
2022, several other categories saw improvements when compared to 2021:
- Robberies decreased by 32%;
- Burglaries decreased by 21%;
- Felonious assaults decreased by 16%;
- Rapes decreased by 5.7%.
“Nothing matters
more to the Columbus Division of Police than the safety of our community,” said Chief
of Police Elaine R. Bryant. “2022
was a year of great progress for us, and we will continue to work hard and
protect our city in 2023.”
Gun violence continues to have an outsized impact on the
city’s homicide rate, accounting for nearly 90% of homicides in 2022. The
Columbus Division of Police, however, has demonstrated remarkable success in reducing
the number of guns throughout the community, taking more than 3,300 firearms off
city streets within the last year alone – a record for the division.
“The safety of our community is on the line,” said Mayor
Ginther. “We’ll do everything within our power to ensure that Columbus becomes
the safest big city in America.”